A Six-Day Food-Focused Itinerary for a Mekong River Cruise

Not all cruises happen at sea. A trip down theMekong River through Vietnam and Cambodia reveals awe-inspiring views and food to match

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City

Fueled by Vietnam's booming economy and its expat community, the vibrant restaurant scene in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, has become one of the hottest in Southeast Asia. Take it easy on that jet-laggy first night at the dreamy, silk-lantern-lit Temple Club, where you can eat local classics like beef grilled on lemongrass skewers or shrimp in tamarind sauce.

Or check out Australian chefSoren Lascelles's Vietnamese-inspired menu, including his excellent take on pho, at Square One, at the Park Hyatt, the city's most modern and upscale hotel. #### Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City

The next day, savor the city's superb street-food culture at the open-airQuan An Ngon restaurant, where curbside chefs whip up Vietnamese soul food like bun cha--vermicelli with grilled pork balls and herbs--and che suong sa hot luu, a refreshing local drink of coconut milk, tapioca pearls, water chestnuts, and jelly worms. Pretty, retro Cuc Gach Quan isn't a secret anymore, but you won't want to miss its dishes, such as silky homemade tofu sauteed with lemongrass and chiles, or thit kho to (clay-pot-stewed pork belly). With its crazy humidity and phalanxes of noisy scooters, Ho Chi Minh City can be intense, so relax at The Deck, a stylish bungalow that floats on the banks of the Saigon River and hosts legendary cocktail hours.

One good way to prepare for a Mekong cruise is a cooking lesson withNguyen Dzoan Cam Van, host of a popular weekly TV show and Vietnam's most famous chef.

Book ahead and get ready for a show-and-tell tour of produce at the famousBen Thanh Market, followed by a crash course in cutting squid and the power of fish sauce in the immaculate kitchen at her farm outside of Ho Chi Minh City. You get to choose the menu, so be sure to request the squid salad with carrots and cucumbers in fish-sauce dressing, and the stewed chicken with lemongrass. They're both mind-blowing, and the memory of them will be the best souvenir you can bring home from a trip to Vietnam.

Excursion to local market in Tan Chau, Vietnam

Days 3-6: Cruising the Mekong

Now it's time to cruise. Heritage Line takes care of the two-hour transfer from Ho Chi Minh City to the port of My Tho, the embarkation point for the luxurious and very intimate Jahan, a 230-foot-long, 26-cabin ship. Unlike the usual tourist boats on the river, this one is a real class act. The decor is British Colonial, which means intricate hand-stenciling on the walls of the exceptionally comfortable and well-equipped air-conditioned cabins. All have private balconies with white wrought-iron railings. The ship offers an amazing lunch buffet and plenty of places to grab a drink and take in the views. Don't miss the daily cooking classes or the one-of-a-kind shore excursions, many with a culinary angle.

Room with a view on the Jahan

Cooking class on the Jahan

Day 4-5: Shore Excursions

Heritage Line (via Trails of Indochina) delivers a wonderfully curated, up-close experience of the river with first-rate local guides. The Mekong Delta is one of the world's great rice bowls, and during a fascinating trip to an island mill in the middle of the river, you'll learn just how vital and versatile this grain is. The rice is ground into the flour that's used to make delicate rice paper wrappers for noodles, as well as Vietnamese staples like nems (spring rolls). It's also distilled into wine or spirits that have been sweetened with coconut or bananas, both of which grow everywhere in the Mekong Delta. And don't miss the outing to the famous floating markets of Cai Be.

Day 6: Disembark

After the Jahan crosses the Cambodian border on the third day of the cruise, the Mekong briefly gets quieter and a lot more rustic. The pace picks up the following morning, though, when it's time to leave the ship behind in bustling Phnom Penh, once a contender for the nickname "Paris of the East." Drop your bags at Raffles Le Royal Hotel, the grande dame in town, and get your bearings at theCentral Market, the cross-shaped Art Deco landmark that is one of the largest markets in Asia and sells everything from coconut palm bags to Khmer silks.

In Cambodia's capital, head for the open-air restaurant at the Khmer Surin Boutique Guesthouse to find amok, the country's best-known dish. (It's fish that has been wrapped inside banana leaves and steamed in an herb-infused curried coconut milk.) Khmer Surin offers other local favorites as well, including pak lov (pork in palm sugar with star anise). And if you can, hit the Foreign Correspondents' Club, the hippest bar in the city, which attracts big spenders from around the world with sweeping views of--what else?--the Mekong.

Dried fish and meat at the Russian market in Phnom Penh

Buddhist monk at a pagoda in Phnom Penh

A view of the Mekong

(Credit: All, Justin Mott)

If you're a food lover, there are few places better to visit right now than Southeast Asia. Classic pho, banh mi sandwiches, and amok are just a few of the delicious reasons to go. And there's no better way to experience the region than with a luxe cruise up the colorful Mekong River, bookended by a few days in bustling Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh. From a cooking class taught by the Vietnamese Martha and pampering spa treatments at sea to the sights and intoxicating aromas of big-city markets--this seven-day trip to paradise has it all. --Alexander Lobrano

Will Sail for Food

Hungry for more great eats while cruising? Like boutique lines, the big ships offer food-focused voyages all over the world. Here are a few of our favorites:

Regent Seven Seas Cruises' culinary shore excursions take you to the source--whether it's a winery in Provence, a limoncello producer on the Amalfi coast, or a classic Ligurian restaurant.

With Crystal Cruises' Ultimate Vintage Room Dinners, you get to enjoy the kinds of wines that start bidding wars (like Chateau Lafite-Rothschild), plus meals made by world-class chefs.

Celebrity Cruises' four voyages dedicated to food in 2013 all have cooking classes, craft-beer tastings, and even cooking competitions for passengers.

Who better than a chef to lead you through the markets of the globe in search of the best ingredients? That's what you get with Seabourn's Shopping with the Chef series. --Sam Dean

OH, OCEANIA!

Last year I set sail from Monte Carlo to Barcelona on the inaugural trip of Oceania's Riviera, which, along with the Marina, is home to the Bon Appetit Culinary Center. It was my first cruise, but I quickly learned some of the charms of being at sea:

Your hotel travels with you. That means no lugging bags city to city, or having to pack and unpack. Phew!

It's open-seating dining. You want to try the salad and the octopus appetizers? Go ahead! Two desserts? Why not?

You go to sleep and wake up in a new city. One day Monte Carlo, Cannes the next.

BA's very own kitchen at sea. Hands-on cooking classes in professional facilities, local market trips, and culinary excursions.